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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

TORTURED ON THE 4TH OF JULY

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Last night, men, women and
children all across America
had a wonderful time enjoying the sparkle, splendor and excitement of the many
fireworks displays. Unfortunately, there were some who spent the night in
agony, distress, and even terror.

In the house behind mine, a
lone Labrador retriever was locked outside in the yard while his owners went
out for the evening. The poor animal cried and howled in fear. He tried to hide
or to get back into the house, but there was nowhere for him to go. His moaning
became more and more tortured as the evening progressed and the booming,
popping sounds of fireworks increased. I’m sure these sounds seemed more like
the sounds of a war zone to this unfortunate creature.

My own 4 dogs fear fireworks
to different degrees. Dudley, the corgi, is
petrified. We keep him inside and he chooses to stay in his night cage (with
his Posturpedic pet bed) with several of his soft toys. Gracie, our Sheltie is
frightened but will go from her night cage to sitting at my feet all night
long. Roscoe, our Yorkie, runs around the family room with his raccoon toy in
his mouth trying to keep himself distracted. Finally, he drops, exhausted, in
his cage. Finally, my little Chippie, a silky terrier/shiatsu mix, doesn’t
react at all. Chippie is 18 years old, blind and deaf but still agile and active.
She paces the room’s perimeter, using the wall as a guide. She senses that
something is up, but can neither see nor hear what it is.

The point is, we do what is
needed to keep our animals calm and feeling safe. When our dog Mello was alive,
she was so nervous that we had the Vet prescribe a sedative for her to get her
through the holiday. Pet owners have to be responsible and compassionate to
their animals.

Here are some tips from the
ASPCA to keep your pet safe on the 4th of July or anytime.

Never leave
alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages
have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become
very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma.
Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.

Do not apply any
sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled
specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result
in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse
of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

Always keep matches
and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches
contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result
in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter
fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce
gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If
lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems
could develop.

Keep your pets on their
normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion
and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more
delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind
that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes &
raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion
animals.

Do not put glow
jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the
luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic,
excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from
ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large
pieces of the plastic containers.

Keep citronella
candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can
produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system
depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.

Never use fireworks
around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe
burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused
fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic
substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.

Loud, crowded
fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge
to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little
guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at
home.